Norwegian Biathlon Star Sivert Guttorm Bakken Dies at 27 During Italy Training Camp

The athlete's death comes nearly three years after he was diagnosed with myocarditis, a potentially dangerous inflammation of the heart muscle.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 12/23/2025, 11:31:36 PM EST

Norwegian Biathlon Star Sivert Guttorm Bakken Dies at 27 During Italy Training Camp — Sivert Guttorm Bakken of Norway competes during the Pursuit Men at the IBU World Cup Biathlon Oberhof in Germany on Jan. 9, 2022. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

An international biathlon star who had triumphantly returned to competition after battling a serious heart condition was found dead in his hotel room. Sivert Guttorm Bakken was in an Olympic training camp in the Italian Alps when he died on Tuesday. He was 27.

Bakken, Norway's reigning European champion and a four-time World Cup winner, died suddenly at the training facility in Lavaze, a small Alpine community in the Trentino region, according to the International Biathlon Union (IBU). The Norwegian athlete was preparing for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, scheduled for early next year.

The IBU announced Bakken's death on Tuesday, mentioning that they were shocked over the loss of an athlete whose recent comeback had inspired the global biathlon community.

"The IBU is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news of Sivert Bakken's sudden death," IBU President Olle Dahlin said in a statement.

"Sivert's comeback to biathlon after a period of great hardship was a source of immense joy for everyone in the biathlon family and an inspiring demonstration of his resilience and determination," he said.

"His passing at such a young age is impossible to comprehend but he will not be forgotten and he will forever remain in our hearts," Dahlin said. "The IBU's thoughts are with Sivert's family and friends, his team and all members of the Norwegian biathlon family at this very difficult time."

Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported that Bakken was found in his hotel room in Lavaze, though the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.

Bakken's death comes nearly three years after he was diagnosed with myocarditis, a potentially dangerous inflammation of the heart muscle, according to the IBU. The condition forced him to step away from competition in 2022, sidelining one of the sport's most promising young talents.

Remarkable Comeback Cut Short

Bakken’s return to the World Cup circuit in November 2024 represented a significant milestone—984 days after his last competition, a victory at Holmenkollen in Oslo.

That Oslo triumph in the 2021 to 2022 season proved to be one of the defining moments of Bakken's career. He captured the small Crystal Globe trophy in the mass start discipline by winning the final race of the season in front of his home crowd.

Over his career, Bakken competed in 31 BMW IBU World Cup events, reaching the podium's top step four times. He also claimed European championship titles in the 10-kilometer sprint and two relay events.

The loss represents another devastating blow to the tight-knit biathlon community, which mourned the death of another champion earlier this year.

German biathlon legend Laura Dahlmeier, an Olympic gold medalist who retired from the sport in 2019 at age 25, died in July during a climbing accident on Laila Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram mountain range. She was struck by falling rocks while ascending the mountain with a climbing partner.

Dahlmeier had transitioned to mountaineering after her biathlon career, becoming a state-certified mountain and ski guide. She won two gold medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and captured seven world championship gold medals during her career.

Rescue teams struggled to reach her body due to dangerous weather conditions and difficult terrain.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.